Cfhe Harmony of the 'Divine Attributes CHAP. I;{. The Greatnefs of Redeeming Love difcovered by eohjidering the Evils from which We 11re freed. The Servitude of Sin, the Tyranny of Satan, the Bondage of the law, the Empire of Death. The meafure of Love is proporti· onabfe to the degreu of our Mifery. No po!Jible Remedy for us in Nature. Our Deliverance is compleat. The Divine Love is magnified in the Means by which our Redeemer is accomplijb'd. They are the Incarnation and Sufferings of the Son of God. Love is manifefted in the Incarnation, upon the account of the etfenrial Condition of the Nature a!fumed, and its Servile State. Chrill: took._ our Nature after it bad loft its Innocency. The moft evident Proof of God's Love is in the Sufferings of Chrill:. The defcription of them with refpeCi to his Soul and Body. The fufferings of his Soul [tt forth front the Caufes ofhis Grief; The Difpojition of Chrill:, and tbe Dejign of God in afjlieling Him. The Sorrows of his forfak.!n State. All comforting Influences were fufpendtd, but without Prejudice to the Perfonal Vnion, or the l'erfeelion of his Grace, or the Love of his Father towards him. The Death of the Crofs conjidered, with refpeCI to the lgnomi11y and Tormen t that concrm'd in it. The Love of the Father and of Chrifl: amplified upon the ac. count of' his enduri11g it. T ~;;dn;~i~ ~!rd~rc~~~~·b~0t~ ~~gf;'fni~l:h~~~;:n~~~~Y~~i~~ec~~g(,~~ffr iitt~ greatnefs. He prays for the Ephejianr, Ephef. 3· t8. th•t they may be able to co"'prehend with all SaHttr, the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the Love ofG•d in Chrifl ~;~: f:{f;; f.~~~df~:Sea~~o~,"ffe~•tt~;~~~c;~~t~~a~~~~~sn;~;e~~nd~~. H~~~sa~h~~:~ n~d~ftn~tith1;;;~ ~e~::Ke1~~~f~~~~~1e~f;~i: ;~~e~~~t 5a~v;,n:r:'~;~~~sru~:;i~: and fo far we may underfl:and as to mflame our Hearts with a Superlative Affection to God. And the full difcovery which here we defire , and fearch after, in the future State, lhall be obtained by the Prefence and Light of our Redeemer. Now the Greatnefs of the Divine Love in our Redemption appears, 1. By reflefting on the mighty Evils from which we a re freed. a. The means by which our Redemption is accomp lilh'd. 3· That excellent State to which we are advanc'd ~your Redeemer. t. If we reflell: upon the horror of our natural State, it will exceedingly heighten the Mercy that delivered us. This I have in part op ened before, therefore I will be the lhorter in defcribing it. Man by his Rebellion had forfeited God's Favour, and the Ho· nour and Happinefs he enjoyed in Paradife; Pfal. 49· ao. And as there is no middle ~~%~~~~h~nb~~~%e;g~~Y ~~~nM~~X'f~f ~~~faci~/':: t~~eT~i~~~t; 1~fsh?s0fn~~ce~~ State, he became extreamly miferable. He is under the Servitude of Sin, the Tyranny of Satan, the Bondage of the Law, and the Empire of Death. 1. Man is a Captive to Sin. He is fallen from the Ha nd of his Counfel, under the Power of his Pailions. Love, Hatred, Ambition, Envy, Fear, Sorrow, and all the other fl:inging Affeftions (of which is true what Solinur fpeaks of the feveral kinds of Serpents in Africa, Ji<..~tttntus no111immt taNtiJJ morthon numerus) exercife a Tyranny over ~i~;ch~~0i~ !~;S,~:~ ~f ~:~: t;ho~C;{fi~,~sa~~~;~~~fir~:n:h~ 5in~~Yf~g2~~e~0h: cannot efcape the Lalh of many Imperious Mafl:ers? He is poffefl: with a Legion- of impure Lults. And as the Demoniack in the Oofpel was fometimes cafl: into the Fire, and lOmetimes into the Water; fo is he hurried by the F ury of contrary Pailions. Thi5 Ser· vitude to Sin is in all refpeCl:s compleat. For thofe wh o ferve, are either born fervants, or bought with a price, or made Captive> by force: and Sin bath all thefe kinds of Title to Man. Heir conceived and born in Sin, Pfal. 5' · He ir fald under S;,, Rom. 7· And fel/r
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